hammock introduction & instruction

[fin]

I still think this is the best option; with links on the homepage to the stickies for those that are just cruising. They can easily hit the homepage and just read the overall view of each topic, no custom code required!

If you require a search of the forums before each new thread HF will die, we tried that at the old Sticks and Stones forum and everyone hated it (or just ignored the search and posted anyway)!

I get your point on requiring a search for new posts. I guess the site isn't big enough yet to get that complex or to start throwing "required" things at people who just are looking for info. My work background makes me look at efficiency, reducing overlap and duplication. Which is nothing like me in real life!! I'm usually very mellow and laid back, but pressed for time. It does get annoying sometimes when someone starts a new thread, and the very first response is "that was covered here: >>>>link follows". But that's just me, because I want to read every thread and every post, and just don't have the time to follow everything.

I know when I first joined the site, I had lurked for months, and my first post was something that had been covered Ad Nauseum. If I had done a quick search first, I would have found my answer.

I've always been a gear junky and an extreme camper, but I switched over to Hammock Camping after a bad experience in a tent with a friend who sounded and smelled like he swallowed a lawn mower with a leaky head gasket and 5 straight days of rain 20 miles in to the BWCA in someone elses equipment (read leaky tent here.) I have lots of hours around my yard and house testing, but only a few trips to the woods with my Hammock. Thanks to this site and the great people on it, I already own 5 hammocks (2 DIY), 6 tarps, and I'm working on 4 different quilt / sock / tarp / ??? setups!!

I guess my point is that for people who are on the site every day, or have been posting here a while, we are all used to the way things work and how to find what we are looking for. But when I was a Noob, I actually would have APPRECIATED a reminder b4 I posted that told me I was an idiot , Unlike now, I've already been reminded. I also would have appreciated an easier way to find/compile/view what I was looking for when I was a lurker. I love the sticky idea, but some pre-programmed searches for Noobs or even a differently formatted start page for non-registered users just cruising and looking for info isn't that stupid of an idea. Something that you can ignore if you want as a regular user may be a godsend to a Noob. After all, we are talking about Hammock introduction & instruction, which implies the new users and the curious coming to check us out!

p.s. I love the format of jeff's site.